1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for dispensing prescription slips. In particular, the present invention relates to a hand-held microcomputer and printer that will receive input and generate a prescription slip from a physician to a patient.
2. Discussion of Background
At times a physician's handwriting can be illegible, causing problems for medical personnel, pharmacists, and patients. In fact, the poor handwriting of physicians has become legendary. This problem arises when physicians make entries into the medical file of the patient, leave instructions for nurses, order procedures for patients, and prepare prescription slips for patients and pharmacists.
Several devices are available that alleviate the necessity of physicians writing the above information by hand. For example, physicians normally dictate information to be entered into the patient's file and instructions to nursing personnel, to reduce discrepancies between what is ordered and what is to be done. Additionally, word processors are sometimes used to enter information into patient files.
However, when physicians write prescriptions containing the name of a type of drug, amounts, and dosages, the writing can be illegible both to pharmacists and patients. If the pharmacist cannot read the prescription, the pharmacist may need to call the physician's office to clarify the handwriting. This not only delays filling the prescriptions, especially if they are being filled after office hours, but patients who urgently need medication are forced to wait unnecessarily. And from a physician's viewpoint, clarification takes time away from other office staff duties. If the pharmacist does not call the physician, other complications or errors may occur. In addition, many physicians abbreviate common drug names, which sometimes results in misinterpretations by pharmacists. These errors are common and have resulted in increased professional liability insurance premiums due to claims caused by prescription errors, which can and have resulted in disabilities and deaths. Consequently, it is imperative that a prescription slip be legibly written for the benefit of the pharmacist, who must read and dispense the appropriate medication, and for the benefit of the patient, who must read and take the appropriate amount of medication at the appropriate times.
Because physicians cannot be made or required to write more legibly, there is a need for a device that will legibly print out a prescription which includes the appropriate type of medication, quantities, and dosages.